Tolkien had this to write in Letter 163: "I mentioned Finnish, because that set the rocket off in story. I was immensely attracted by something in teh air of the Kalevala, even in Kirby's poor translation. I never learned Finnis well enough to do more than plod through a bit of the original, like a schoolboy with Ovid; being mostly taken up with its effect on 'my language'. But the beginning of the legendarium, of which the Trilogy is part (the conclusion), was in an attempt to reorganize some the Kalevala, especially the tale of Kullervo the hapless, into a form of my own"
So it seems that the Kalevala played and instrumental part in inspiring Tolkien to take up the writing of his own mythology, but being his own mythology he would soon have to leave his inspirations behind.
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"He was sent by a mere prudent plan of the angelic Valar or governors; but Authority had taken up this plan and enlarged it, at the moment of its failure."
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